Do you know where the world’s largest trash dump is located? You might be a little shocked to find out that it’s actually in the Pacific Ocean! That’s right – our trash is being dumped right into the ocean and has accumulated to twice the size of Texas. There are two “garbage patches”. One is off the coast of Japan and the other is between California and Hawaii. The air currents in these two dumps make the water flow in a circular pattern, catching all sorts of trash, most of which is plastic. Since the pressure is too strong and flows in circles, most of the trash gets trapped in the currents. However, sometimes the currents shift, causing masses of the huge dump to actually wash up on the shores of some Hawaiian islands. Not only is it unpleasant to humans, but this ocean pollution is also killing marine animals that ingest or get tangled in the trash. If we don’t do something soon, our entire Pacific Ocean is going to become a dump. If we all stepped up and created a cleanup of the Pacific Garbage Patch, we could make a difference in the lives of its marine life. The recycling of the plastic that is out there might be enough to pay for the cleanup.

What do you think should be done to eliminate the Pacific Garbage Patch?

Despite the warning label on batteries, household cleaners, and other various items, many people still throw things out that they aren’t supposed to. These items then end up in the landfills, their toxins seeping into our drinking water and evaporating into the air. Not good! So instead of throwing out these things, why not find a recycling center near you? Earth911.com is a great resource for finding places to dispose of these items. It allows you to type in what you would like to recycle and finds the nearest recycling center for that specific item. I was surprised to find that there were so many of these places that would recycle my old stuff! Here is a small list of things that you should find a special recycling center for:

• Batteries
• Light Bulbs
• Household Cleaners
• Medicine
• Gasoline
• Paint and paint thinners

It’s that time of year again. School’s out and already the kids are complaining that they are bored. Instead of parking them in front of their TV or video games, how about planning environmental activities that are so fun that they won’t even realize they’re educational. Here are a few ideas that will get you and the kids out of the house and active in the environment:

• Plant a garden. It doesn’t have to be huge, but a small plot of land that they plow and plant with vegetables of their choice will give them a sense of entitlement and responsibility.
• Adopt a park. If the kids have a certain park that they love going to, have them “adopt” it and take care of it. Help them to pick up litter here so that their park can stay beautiful and clean.
• Recycle. Teach them what items can be recycled and the benefits of recycling. Label separate waste bins to sort out different recyclable items like paper, glass, and plastic. Challenge them to fill their bins by the end of the week and let them keep the change that they get when they take it to the recycling center!
• Have a yard sale. Instead of throwing away old stuff that will just clog our landfills, have a yard sale (or better yet, donate these things to a local church or thrift shop). Have your kids choose the toys and clothes that they don’t use anymore and let them be your helper during the sale. They will be amazed at how much of their “old” stuff can be repurposed by other people.

Stay tuned for more summer environmental activities and ideas that you can do with your kids this summer!

How neat is this? 12-year-old Max Wallack was the grand winner of Design Squad’s Trash to Treasure contest. His invention? A homeless shelter made from trash! The shelter’s frame is made from wire and the walls are made from plastic filled with packing peanuts, which provides a layer of insulation. His inspiration for this winning invention was a trip to Chicago, in which he saw many homeless people living on the streets. Ever since then, he’s had a desire to help them out. Check out the final product here. It’s great to see a contest aimed towards encouraging kids to invent environmentally friendly gadgets and even greater to hear about a kid with such a huge “green” imagination. Great job, Max!

As you prepare to gorge yourself on turkey and all the fixings, make sure you pause and give thanks to this great planet that we call home. And even better than a verbal thanks, how about letting your actions speak louder than your words? Here are a few tips to make your Thanksgiving a little more environmentally friendly:

-    Grab your reusable bags when you go grocery shopping (or any shopping for that matter including, yes, Christmas shopping on Black Friday!). Make sure you have one bag dedicated and big enough for that bird!

-    If you have to use paper products, use recyclable (or recycled) ones. Otherwise, enjoy your nice dishes and splurge a bit to find fall or holiday cloth napkins.

-    Garnish your table with beeswax or soy candles, which are much more eco-friendly than traditional ones.

-    Take a nature walk and decorate your table with real fall foliage that has fallen to the ground like colored leaves and pinecones. Try out some fun crafts like turkeys made out of pine cones and pipe cleaners with your kids.

-    Check out the Eat Well Guide (www.eatwellguide.org), where you can find different meats by production methods and learn where you can actually buy organic turkey. Don’t forget your local farmers’ markets too, or your local poultry farm.

I know what I’m not thankful for… OK, maybe this isn’t the way to start off the blog for the day, but I am so tired of hearing people stressing out about what they’re doing for Thanksgiving, whose house they’re going to, whom they’re spending the day with, and what they’ll be eating. We haven’t even had Thanksgiving and folks are already planning Christmas, asking the same questions about the December holiday as they do for the one in a few weeks. And then there’s Christmas shopping. I’m not even going there. What I am thankful for is the fact that I can wake up everyday and know that our planet is alive. Alive with relatively clean air, green grass, majestic mountain peaks, and deep, vast oceans. I’m thankful that I have the ability to affect change to our environment by making a conscious effort to recycle when I can, be kind to nature and be a good steward to our earth. I’m thankful that I’ve been given the opportunity to help educate others through Duckey and the Ocean Protectors – and that all of us have the power to help our planet. Remember: “Believe it! Achieve it!”